AACE INTERVIEW: Me Fuimaono-Poe of ALIA
Me Fuimanono-Poe
“I now believe that cannabis is actually a superfood, and should be used like a vitamin or a supplement daily”
I met the most wonderful soul via email, then I met her in real life and I was in awe of her aura of humanity. Me (pronounced “May”) is a Family Nurse Practioner based in Honolulu, HI – in 2016 she opened up the first nurse-led Malie Cannabis Clinic in Hawaii and was fortunate to have met Dennis Peron at his Cannabis Buyers Club in the Castro in San Francisco. Me is a lighthouse to all those seeking knowledge and a better healthier lifestyle with cannabis. - Ophelia Chong
How have your views on cannabis changed?
My opinions are always in flux. I am an eternal student, and the more I learn about this plant, the more my perception of her changes. I now believe that cannabis is actually a superfood and should be used like a vitamin or a supplement daily (with 3-day seasonal breaks for tolerance). I am looking forward to the day when I am walking down the street in Kentucky, and there are cannabis plants next to basil in the local cat lady’s garden.
What was the impetus of that change?
I first used cannabis for fun, then for cramps during my period, and in the late 90's I converted to Rastafarianism. I used cannabis as a sacrament and built a community around it; I believed then as I do now that this herb is the healing of the nations. I didn't use cannabis regularly until I was in my 40's. When I started having severe back pain from Spina Bifida Occulta, it was then that I started using cannabis consistently.
How did you enter the cannabis industry?
I was part of the community first. In 1995 I went on the Global Peace Walk. Our after-party was at the CBC (Cannabis Buyers Club). I met Dennis Peron and was utterly blown away by what he was doing. At the party, I was invited to join the Hemp Walk sponsored by Jack Herrer, and I became a cannabis activist. I have been rallying for this plant ever since.
But you asked about the Industry my first dip into the Industry was in 2005 I had a perfect life a two-year-old daughter and I was pregnant with a boy! At 24 weeks, I had a freak accident and a placental abruption, my son died, and I was really sick and hospitalized for over a week. My husband was transitioning his job and had Cobra insurance. We found ourselves in debt to the tune of 50 thousand dollars. I was living in Santa Rosa California, my girlfriends all grew, and they scooped me up, built a grow room in my would-be nursery, and I paid off my debt in one year. We grew Organic and distributed to dispensaries in the bay area. Back then, Pounds were going for $4,000 to $6,000 dollars.
Becoming a cannabis clinician was easy. In 2016 Governor Ige signed legislation allowing Nurse Practitioners to certify patients for medical use. I opened my clinic six weeks later. In three years, I have certified over 8,000 patients and have created individualized dosing plans based on Symptoms, Preference of method, goals of treatment, and age. I have successfully dosed babies from 3 months old to grandfathers who are 103. Because of my work in the clinic, I realized that patients needed a way to effectively and safely dose themselves with cannabis. I created Alia a guide to cannabis dosing, and we will be launching in 2020.
Did you do research into cannabis before entering?
I have gone to almost every large cannabis science conference once or twice. I also set a personal goal to read a Cannabis Journal article every day. So, I have essentially read close to 1,500 cannabis research articles.
How does your family feel about your cannabis businesses?
I am a Samoan woman. We are extremely family-oriented. Instead of letting my family find out what I was doing, I went to all of my elders and asked permission. They had a lot of questions, but, in the end, are very supportive. Samoans have been healing themselves with plants for millenniums, so this wasn’t a stretch. I also explained that Awa (Kava) works on the same CB1 receptors. They understood that.
What is the most frequent question you are asked about cannabis?
How many people I turn away because they just want to get high. My answer is always the same. I have never turned anyone away; I believe my patients and access to cannabis should be a basic fundamental right.
What is your favorite way of ingesting cannabis?
It depends on what I am using it for, if I need immediate relief, I use an inhaled method. I typically use flower because I live in the epicenter of some of the most fantastic sun-grown cannabis on the planet. For travel, I use a sustained release patch, and my daily is a low dose of oral THC and a high-quality CBD.
Where do you see the cannabis industry in five years?
Great question, I think in 5 years we will have Federal legalization. I dream that we have three basic tiers of cannabis, the "big" guys who are multi-state license holders selling the equivalent of Bud Weiser to the masses. The craft cannabis brands who sell regionally and create local artisanal cannabis medicine and, last but not least, the hobbyist who grows at home next to the basil.
Why do you think some Polynesians are against cannabis?
I think it is because unless you are Hawaiian, you are an immigrant. Immigrants have to walk such a narrow line with very little room for mistakes. My parent’s generation just wanted to stay out of trouble. My father moved to SF during the summer of love and was probably one of the few people not smoking Pakalolo. But now we see more acceptance. Shoots if my super conservative Mormon Samoan family can accept cannabis, so can you.
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